First time traveler to Europe - really anywhere where there is such a language barrier. Will be spending time mostly in Vicenza. I'm worrying about EVERYTHING... need to put my mind to rest - so I thought I'd ask fellow travelers some questions--maybe I'll get piece of mind. What I'm wondering right now is how to get from Vicenza to Venice in time to catch a 7 AM flight back to the States on a Saturday morning? Is public transportation an option in the very very early morning? Thanks!

Public transport is not an option (the first train from Vicenza to Venice gets there at 6:30 am), and a private car service - if you found one - would cost a fortune.

You'll have to spend the last night in Mestre in a hotel near the train station or, if you want, in Venice in a hotel near Piazzale Roma. The first express ATVO bus from the Mestre train station will get you to the airport at 5:37 am; the counters only open at 5:30 am. The first express ATVO bus from Piazzale Roma in Venice would get you to the airport at 5:20 am. You can also take a land taxi from Mestre or Piazzale Roma.

Hi Sparklefarkle, if you are anxious about your trip, feel free to post other questions. I'm sure you will get lots of help from other Fodor's contributors. I was anxious about our last trip to Italy, which we hadn't done on our own before. By the time we landed I was so confident that my hb was happy to sit back and let me 'do my thing'. I got us from the airport to our accommodation without a hitch and then knew lots of other things that were extremely helpful. My hb has nicknamed me 'fodette'!

There is a Courtyard by Marriott in Tessera which is about 5 minutes from the airport and they have a shuttle bus to and from the airport.

Thanks everyone, I got a room in Venice the night before near Piazzale Roma! Next question . . . .What can you tell me about currency exchange. Should I get just what I need to get over there and then do exchange from US $ to EURO when I'm there?

Take a few Euro - say 100 Euro, and then get more from an ATM in Italy. It's easy. Exchanging bank notes at an exchange counter can yield very poor exchange rates.